Now I Might Not Be So Alone
by A Dragon Guarded Heart
Summary: Brought back from her death, a new spirit lives, Cupid. She is tasked with spreading love throughout the world, though she hasn't known what love feels like for a very long time. After years of keeping to herself, Cupid decides to make a daring move, saving the bogeyman from his own nightmares, thus angering the Guardians and leaving Pitch wary of her. All while a new threat rises
1. Chapter 1

Cupid didn't know how someone could be so terrified…..so hopeless...left with no choice other than to wait for what was to come.

She had been flying over a small town she didn't know much about when she heard screaming. and felt the deepest terror she'd ever known, well, other than her own of course.

Without a second thought cupid soared down to the source, body steeled and mind sharp, she plummeted into a mass of black sand, grabbing hold of the body within it.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its characters.**


	2. Chapter 2

Oregon, it was a place where she had always felt calmest. Specifically, in the quiet woods that transformed from green to orange every year without fail. Yeah, that was it. The way the flamboyant leaves of fall drifted carelessly to the ground always made her feel at peace.

It was an interesting thought, finding a spirit dedicated to the union of soulmates and the spreading of love in a dying forest in the middle of nowhere. Surely she should be at the Eiffel tower or a marble cathedral or even lounging at a cliché Tunnel of Love attraction, but no, the spirit loved nothing more than to feel the crisp wind flow through her feathers as she pulled free the leaves that landed so delicately on her head.

Cupid didn't know the unconscious man she held, a thought that she never guessed would cross her mind, but he was unlike anything she had ever seen. Setting him carefully against a tree, she took the time to gather her thoughts about the man in front of her.

"_grey skin…" _she thought, _"it looks like he's been bathed in ash, which is honestly kind of cool, though I'm probably the only one that thinks that. Still a cool skin color, even though I'm getting a bit distracted from the matter of hand by thinking about this."_

She sat back_, "this man was getting pulled down into a pit, and I haven't the faintest idea why. The Guardians were there…they weren't doing anything... I wonder if they saw me. Would they be angry with me? Did I just save him before they got a chance? Does this count as kidnapping?"_

Cupid shook her head, brushing off the kidnapping thought. Even if it _was _kidnapping, she still assumed that being with her was better than whatever awaited him in that pit. You know…probably.

She fiddled with the edges of her dress, watching the man breathe for a moment. The clouds covering the sun drifted past and let the light through, dappling their bodies and surroundings with warm markings.

The sunlight on his cheeks caused the man to shift and grunt uncomfortably. Cupid slowly outstretched her wing above him, shielding him from the sun that had caused him to stir. Her head tilted in thought, "_huh. So he doesn't like sunlight…that explains the black cloak, and probably the grey skin…ooh wait maybe he's a Halloween spirit. Yeah Yeah that makes sense…..I think. Well he does look like the edgy type…but maybe I'm just being a bit steryotyp-"_

Cupid jumped a bit as he started to stir, the spirit watching with wide eyes as she quickly debated on whether to stay or leave. Her social anxiety quickly won out in the end, causing her to scramble to her feet and take flight, a few feathers falling from the rapid takeoff.

Pitch groaned and held his head, it hurt, most likely from Toothania punching him in the mouth…he hated that cavity collector more every day.

The fear inside of him started to bubble back up as he remembered what had just occurred. The shades eyes snapped open, the fear inside him making his heart race, but as he looked around he realized there were no nightmares, or guardians for that matter. It seemed that he was alone for the moment, but he didn't know where he was, or how he got there for that matter. He hated being in the dark, mentally at least.

Golden eyes locked onto a pristine white feather as it floated lazily through the space in front of him. Snatching it from the air Pitch observed it before looking up into the sky, spotting a fleeting figure.

He would get to the bottom of this, but for now he needed to regain any power he could before the guardians came to finish him off.

It had been a few days since the rescue, and as much as Cupid didn't really talk to any of the Guardians, with the exception of Jack and Sandy, she still steered clear of them for now. She liked them, and she kinda trusted them, but for now, there were too many unknown variables regarding them and the man she met. Can you meet someone if they're unconscious the whole time? Seemed a bit creepy.

Fear of her actions having possibly upset the Guardians, she thought it best to stay out of the skies. But secluding herself from everyone purposefully made her feel even lonelier than she usually did, and it really sucked. She'd eat some cake if she had anywhere to actually make any.

Sitting on a roof Cupid watched people flit through the dark street, probably people getting off work late or running late night errands before all the shops closed. She couldn't sulk for now. Duty called. The Love spirit had her sights set on two humans that night, planning out how to introduce them to each other, but she had no idea that someone else had their sights set on Cupid as well.

Pitch had been watching her for a while now, it wasn't hard to make the connection that the feather in his hand belonged to the woman. The large, white wings attached to her back were a dead giveaway after all.

He had originally assumed that she was allied with the Guardians, pulling him from the nightmares only so the spirits could finish him themselves and boast full responsibility for his defeat, but instead, he watched her avoid them entirely. Peculiar, the girl looked to be as much sunshine and rainbows as they were. She had to be right? The girl was a spirit of love as far as he could tell. A love spirit couldn't be blue.

Cupid jumped and landed lightly on the pavement of an alleyway, watching a young woman walk home from her stressful job.

The woman gripped her folder of paperwork tight, worried about the upcoming deadline for her project. If she didn't nail this then she wouldn't even be CONSIDERED for that upcoming promotion, and if she didn't get the promotion then she couldn't climb the corporate ladder, and if she couldn't climb the corporate ladder then she couldn't run the company, and if she couldn't run the company then her parents would never be proud of her, and if her parents weren't proud of-

As the fear of failure, desolation, and dying alone with only a bearded dragon to find her body set into the mortal, Cupid drew her bow. Once loosed the arrow stuck the sidewalk in front of the woman, forming a small hole that tripped her, catching her foot and causing her to hit the ground with a newly twisted ankle. As she cried out in pain and clutched her injury, a man with a scruffy beard rushed out of the comic shop nearby.

"Oh my god! Are you okay miss?" the man slid to a stop and knelt down, grabbing her disheveled folder before it or any of the papers inside could be blown away.

Her eyes filled with panic as she discovered her current inability to walk. "no…no no no no no no no no NO! I have to get home and finish this project! If I don't submit it by 8 am tomorrow I'm screwed!"

While the woman started to spiral into a chaos of fear and anxiety, the man tried to gently get her attention, "um, hey? Hello? Hey. Ma'am?" he tapped her head with her folder, "Hey. You need to worry about getting to the hospital more than finishing some damn project."

She snatched her folder back, "Hey! Buzz off! You don't know my life! I need to get home! I need to get on my laptop and-"

"The laptop in the bag you're currently on top of?"

She looked down at her bag, shifting and pulling the very broken computer out from the bag, holding it for a few silent seconds before breaking down in tears. "I'm screwed, I'm fucked, I'm entirely and completely hosed…"

The man bit his lip, looking at her sadly, wanting to help but being too timid to offer. With feminist extremists on the rise and threat of rape lurking on every dark street, he didn't want this girl to mistake his kindness for perversion and get him in huge trouble. And that's where Cupid came in again. Her arrows could grant feelings like confidence and generosity as well as sway elements and surroundings to help her make a match. If she needed a small rainstorm, a piece of paper to distract a car, or a virus in a phone, she could do it. Of course the bigger the demand the more power she had to use, but most of the time she could get things done with only small changes and coincidences.

She fired an arrow into the man, granting him the confidence he lacked in the moment.

"You know….I have a few really powerful computers and some other electronics up in my apartment, I live right on this street and could probably salvage the information on your laptop. After that I can leave the room to let you work, you can lock it and everything." He put his right hand up, "I swear on my love of Pokémon that I'm just trying to help."

The young woman looked at him, she was desperate but didn't like the idea of going in a strange man's apartment, but then again, she was REALLY desperate. She also had a stun-gun hidden inside her laptop bag if she needed it.

Cupid smiled and shot an arrow into the woman, giving her the bit of trust she needed to take the first leap of faith that would lead to a long road full of love and happiness. After watching him help her into his building, Cupid walked towards the edge of town, glancing at windows still illuminated with light, her heart aching as she felt the overflowing love that came from some of them.

Pitch leaned back from intently watching her, thinking, "_hmm. Her method is a bit more unconventional than I had assumed of a love spirit. Using pain and suffering to create love. Such a farce." _Nonetheless, fear was his domain, and he didn't appreciate some ditzy female spirit stealing it from him and using it to further her own power. Since he had regained power from a few of his rouge nightmares, he decided he would have to teach her a lesson in fear.

While an unseen threat formed not 70 feet away, Cupid walked towards the small forest that surrounded it like a crescent moon. After walking quietly for a bit, she chose to sit on top of a large, flat rock. She let her fingers drift along the various etchings in the cool stone, mostly the initials of love-drunk couples, but there were a few unsightly symbols that made her chuckle only a little.

The spirit sighed and looked up at the moon that shone above her. "I hate you. The least you could've done was erase these painful memories from my head. Bastard."

She hid under her wings, thinking of the happiness that she brought to humans, all while trying to stay afloat in the sadness it drowned her in. Cupid fell asleep as her feelings weighed down heavily on her body and mind, leaving herself open for the Nightmare Kings attack.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its characters.**


	3. Chapter 3

Cupid opened her eyes as she was falling. She had no wings anymore, she had no power inside of her, but she still had the pain that came with living. Yep, she was a human again.

A hand grabbed hers, yanking her to a stop. Cupid looked up to see a figure kneeling on the cliffside she now hung from. She looked into the eyes of her mother.

"Look baby I caught you! I'll always catch you my love, you don't have to ever worry about that."

Cupid smiled big as her mother pulled her up and into her arms, hugging her close, "Mom! Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you! I was so scared I was gonna fall and die. Thank you for saving me." Cupid hugged her mother tight, heart still beating fast.

The woman stroked her hair, "yes I did. I saved you because I love you, and you love me right? And you'll always be mine. Right? Yes. This is what happens when you leave. So don't ever leave me again." Her nails started to dig into Cupids arms.

"ow! Mom stop!" Cupid tried to pull away but her mother just yanked her back to her, snarling in anger.

"What? Are you back talking me? After everything I've done for you? You ungrateful little bitch!" she yanked them both to their feet and smiled big, "I love you so much sweetie, and I'll never leave you."

The scene changed and Cupid looked up into the light shining onto her shackled body, her mother standing in the doorway. The woman smiled as she closed the door "and you will never leave me."

Cupid shot awake, flailing and falling out of her bed as her heart raced in her chest. Her wings were all fluffed up from being so afraid, and she really hated that, feathers didn't hide emotion well.

The spirit slowly sat up, her arms wrapped around herself as the scenes from the nightmare started to melt away. She rubbed the spots where the shackles were, shivering from how cold and cruel they used to be.

Pitch watched the young spirit, conflicted. He wanted to scare her yes, but this felt more like drudging up bad memories to twist and torture her with. She wasn't frightened, just hurting. This took no skill, he took no pride in this craftless nightmare.

Cupid drew in a shaky breath and stood, walking over to grassy clearing. She needed to get away from the shadows of the trees, her gut telling her so. The spirit balled her hands into fists, "I've asked you so many times….and tonight is no different…" Cupid looked up at the moon in the bright night sky, eyes brimming with hopeless tears, "why…why bring me here? You turned a broken human into a broken spirit, then expected me to fill this world with love. To give it to people, when I can't even remember the last time it was given to me."

Cupid waited, until she gave up and let herself fall back onto the soft grass, "and as usual, you're not worth my time and I'm just talking to myself."

Pitch watched for a moment before turning and disappearing into his shadows. The shade would leave her be, for now.

Cupid couldn't avoid the guardians forever, and eventually she ran into the newly made Guardian, Jack Frost.

"Hey! Long time no see Cupi! How's it goin?" the winter spirit dropped onto the park bench she was lounging on.

"Please don't call me that." She got up to leave but he jumped in front of her.

"Hey where ya goin? Do I smell? Wintergreen not doing it for ya?" the spirit chuckled at his little joke.

"One, that would be funny if you were wearing green. Two, don't pretend that I don't know that you've sought me out today. Its late April, you're supposed to be spreading cold weather anywhere but this side of the world."

He leaned against his staff in favor of sitting down on the bench, some of the joy gone from his eyes, "Alright, you got me. But I know you've been avoiding me and the rest of the Guardians."

She rolled her eyes, "and that's a crime?"

"Cupid you have no idea what you messed with do you?"

"I mean it kinda looked like I saved someone's life. But, ya know, whatever, guess that doesn't mean anything." She plopped herself back on the bench and glared to the side.

"But that was Pitch Black! He tried to kill all of the guardians! He killed Sandy! He wanted this world to be ruled by fear! By him! Don't you think that's really bad?"

"This world is currently one dictator short, and i've seen all of the Guardians since then. They all look just fine to me, Sandy must've been brought back."

Jack stepped in front of her to look her in the eyes, "How can you say that and not feel anything?"

She met his eyes with a hard gaze, but it was quickly softened. Poor Jack, his eyes were full of confusion. He was a new guardian, and was desperate to keep them proud of him, even if it meant keeping his own opinions silent. He wanted someone other than the guardians to tell him how they feel about Pitch and what happened, and what they almost let happen.

Cupid stood, "Jack….there is no easy definition of what is good and bad in this world. What you're saying he did sounds bad yeah, but does that constitute whatever was waiting for him down in that hole? Does one death make it fair to kill more?" she glanced at the sky, "I felt sandy disappear from this world, and it really hurt. I would be angry at the person who did it, but I would not let them be tortured for it. Sandy is back, that doesn't make what Pitch did okay, but it does mean that we have our friend back. And I'm happy for that."

Cupid took Jacks hands in her own, "the world is okay now, and we need to look towards a better future, not dwell on the past." She smiled softly at him, "we've both been alone for a long time, you have the Guardians now, and they love you. But don't let them think for you. You still have a voice, don't let anyone silence it."

Jacks body relaxed a bit, "He…Pitch..he…he told me that he felt like I did, he felt alone, without a family. I've felt like that for so long, but I would never think about trying to take over the world and hurt people like he did."

"Everyone is different Jack. Pitch has grey skin and a black cloak, you have sparkling white hair and a blue hoodie, which of you would be assumed bad at first glance? When you get called a monster enough times, you start to believe it."

Jack dropped onto the bench, trying to process everything, "I just…don't know what to think."

"You don't have to. Keep your guard up, but also keep an open mind about him. Don't forget that we have all of eternity to decide what we think" Cupid sat next to him, "I've also only met this guy while he was unconscious. Just saying" She watched Jack for a moment before looking back out at the empty park in front of them. She hoped she hadn't overwhelmed him, he was just a boy after all. Well, she was only just a girl too.

After only a few moments of sweet silence, the wonderfully pleasant spirit of hope popped out of a hole in front of them, looking furious.

Cupid stood, "and that's my cue to leave."

"Oh no ya don't sheila. You are in a heap of trouble. Where. Is. He."

It was around this time that dark spirit in question had happened across the scene, a gathering of this many spirits was hard to miss, and it was almost always about something interesting. He stayed in the shadows and listened in.

"Yeah cause I totally just keep tabs on random people."

"He is not random! He is the Nightmare King! And you interfered with him being sealed away. Now he's lose and gaining his power back. We need to take him down while the buggers still weak!"

"Do you hear yourself? You want to attack a defenseless person and seal him away for who knows how long! How can you be okay with that?"

"Cause he's not a person mate! He's a monster! How can you not see that?"

"Because I don't know him! And I don't think any of you can claim that you do! You're all way too busy being worshiped by all the kids you bribe!"

Bunny was fuming, "watch it sheila. You're already on thin ice. I'll ask once more. Where is he. Where is Pitch!?"

Jack took a step forward, "Hey Bunny? Maybe ease up on her a little? All she did was save someone she thought needed help."

He turned to Jack, "what? Have you forgotten what he did? Have you forgotten how we all almost lost everything? Whose side are you on mate?"

Cupid yanked the rabbit back to facing her, "Hey! You back off of him! He's been through enough because of all of you!"

The Guardians fur bristled, "because of US!? Oh keep spoutin all these fightin words and you'll have to back them up mate. I'm pretty sure I can take a little girl with no one who believes in her."

She really wanted to nail the rabbit right across the face with her bow, she didn't even care if it broke from how hard she wanted to hit him. But the air had grown cold. Jack hated that Bunny had said something like that to Cupid, it probably hurt just as much as when he had said something similar to Jack. And as much as she hated the rabbit right now, she didn't want to be the reason a rift was created between Jack and the Guardians.

Cupid gritted her teeth and raised her hand in compliance, "Fine. I will do my best to find him." She turned and took off, beating her wings hard to try and work of the anger she felt.

Bunny crossed his arms triumphantly, "Ha! See frosty? Some spirits are just cowards at heart."

Jack watched Cupid leave with sad eyes, "_and some are just jerks."_

Pitch followed her, curious as to what she'd do when she "found" him, if he didn't find her first.

What he found wasn't quite what he expected.

From what he could tell, the young love spirit was beating a tree with one of its own limbs. He assumed she broke the large branch off. The best part was that she was yelling profanities about the rabbit. If this spirit hated the rabbit then she must have a least part of a brain in her head. Funny though, she didn't seem to be seeking him out like she told the Guardian.

"Fuckin furry bastard!" Cupid slammed the branch against the tree again, causing more bark to splinter and dust stick to her arms and dress. It was just a simple short one, white with no straps, tights underneath so she could move freely and not give anyone a free show.

She let her arms rest for a moment, breathing hard and only feeling slightly better.

Pitch smiled and stepped out of the shadows, "well you look like you're trying _very_ hard to find me aren't-"

Cupid hurled the branch at the spirit, which he dodged, but it left him open for her follow up. She was in front of him, bow drawn and an arrow at his chest, "Do. Not. Move."

"_Well._ _Didn't see that coming." _Pitch stayed still, for the moment at least. He was still very weak, hadn't even returned to his lair for fear of the nightmares. He wasn't powerful enough to control a lot of them at once yet. He could try to fight, but he didn't know how much power this girl wielded. But she didn't know how much power he had either. Maybe she didn't have him cornered quite yet, half of battle is intimidation after all.

"Why are you spying on me."

He rolled his eyes, "Oh please. Are you trying to scare me? Me? Do you know even who I am? Do you know what I could _do _to a little spirit like you?" Pitch grinned down at her, feeling the beginnings of uncertainty and fear sprout in her heart.

Cupid watched him for a moment, studying the challenge in his eyes. "I know you're known as Pitch Black. I know you killed the Sandman, I know you almost killed the other guardians too, and I also know that you're a lot weaker than you normally are. Which is why you're resorting to intimidation. But there's really no need, that's' all I was doing from the start."

The spirit smiled and let her bow snap out of existence, taking a step back from the spirit as she smirked more than smiled.

Pitch stared at her for a moment, a bit blindsided by the game of chess he was apparently in.

She shrugged, "you're probably confused. Not what you were expecting right? Yeah, I get that a lot. But anyway, I'm Cupid. Hi-"

Nightmare sand whipped up and yanked her back against the tree she had been beating, Pitch glaring menacingly at her. "You would be wise not to take me lightly girl. I know all of your worst fears."

"Then you should know that I'm afraid of things you can't really use on me right now." she squirmed slightly to get some pressure off her wing, but once that was relieved she was almost completely relaxed. "I'm not trying to take you lightly, it just seems like you really don't have anything to gain from hurting me, and I just want to talk for a little bit"

"What for? Keeping me here for the Guardians to come and finish me off? Perhaps you didn't lie to the rabbit after all."

"So you've been spying on me for longer than previously assumed. Interesting. Am I really that fascinating? Do I get to spy on you now?"

Pitch grabbed her throat, causing a particularly succulent jolt of fear to shoot through her. He let out a satisfied chuckle, "finally. I'm getting the recognition I deserve." He squeezed a bit harder, "now…you will tell me what your goal is here. How you fit into all this. Are you, or are you not, allied with those wretched Guardians."

Cupid winced, she was actually starting to get really scared now. Tears dared to consider forming in her eyes. Time to see how her gamble played out.

"I…I am not with them. I am friends with Jack Frost and the Sandman, but my involvement with them has nothing to do with you and your war with them. I have no goal that involves both you and the Guardians."

"Interesting choice of words." He continued, "Why did I see you fleeing when I awoke. What happened between then and when I was defeated by the Guardians."

"I heard screaming. I could feel a person that was overcome with fear. I didn't know what was going on. All I saw was the Guardians watching a man get dragged down into a hole by what looked like a black sandstorm and I acted without any further thought by taking you to a place I consider safe. I saw someone that needed help, so I helped. Simple as that."

He slammed her head against the tree and snarled, "NO! It is never that simple! What is your goal here!?"

"Ack!-I'm telling the truth! I can't standby when someone needs help! I just can't! The Guardians weren't doing anything so I did!" tears formed from the stinging pain in the back of her head, sharp bit of tree bark biting into her. "I know the hurt that hides behind your eyes! If you just let me help you-"

Pitch tossed her to the side, "hear me now little spirit. I am not some vulnerable human that you can hypnotize into feeling better about their life. I am the Nightmare King. I see through you. Stay away from me unless you tire of having those wings attached to your back."

The shade walked back into his shadows, "you seem naïve, so here's some free advice. No one is ever who they say they are. Learn that before you get yourself killed."

Cupid slowly sat up, rubbing the new bruises on her neck with a smile, "_I've learned that. These bruises prove it." _

**(I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its characters. Villan enters in the next chapter) **


	4. Chapter 4

Later that night, Cupid was found by another Guardian. Thankfully this one was more understanding, and quieter.

"Hey Sandy…." Cupid landed softly on the cloud of golden dust that the small sprit traveled on, "you're kinda quiet, is something up?" she smiled, even though her attempt at a joke just caused the man to just shake his head in disappointment.

"Yeah, not funny. Got it." Cupid sat down beside him, anxious about what he would say about her actions.

The two spirits sat in silence, watching dreams of young children manifest in the town below. But as the minutes ticked by, Cupids nervousness fidgeting became more and more apparent.

Sandy rolled his eyes before putting his hand on her now trembling shoulder and giving her a small smile of encouragement.

She sighed, "I know you're probably mad at me…because I didn't let Pitch be sealed away. But I didn't know what was going on! All I saw was a helpless man, all I saw was someone that needed help. You and the Guardians were just watching." Cupid met his eyes, "I know he really hurt you….and that was wrong, but I don't think he should be sealed away forever for doing that. In that moment, I couldn't think of doing anything else but stopping what was happening. And I still don't regret it."

The spirit looked back out at the sky, "I met him. He was kinda scary, and he had every opportunity to hurt me but didn't. I'm not saying he's a good person, but I think there's something salvageable there. And if there's not, and I'm just throwing myself to wolves, then I guess I deserve whatever happens."

Cupids body sank a little in sadness, "but I'd love if you didn't hate me for what I did, and what I intend to do. But I would understand if you do."

Sandy watched her for a moment, he knew how strong she was. He had watched her grow from a spirit ruled by her own fear into a spirit ready to face it head-on. The other Guardians were less forgiving than he was, but part of dreaming was dreaming of better things. He had always dreamed of helping Pitch, but he was unsuited for the task.

Sandy gave her a thumbs up, and Cupid instantly relaxed, falling back onto the cloud of sand.

"Thanks Sandy, I love _talking _to you" she giggled, finding that joke attempt much funnier than her first one. Even if it could hardly be called a joke.

The small man tossed dreamsand at her, knocking her into a peaceful slumber. He couldn't count how many times he had done that to Jack for making the same lame puns.

He watched her dream of flying with dragons, competing with the beasts in feats of aerial skills and acrobatics. Her and Jack always had interesting dreams, they were both free spirits with large imaginations. Even with the responsibilities each spirit had, they never let the pressure tie them down. They always soared through the sky as fast as they could go.

The Sandman turned his attention back to the town below, watching for a moment before moving on to spread dreams in the next town.

"I knew she was on their team." Pitch glared from his spot on the ground, having seen her join the Guardian for a late night chat, but quickly leaving in disgust. He stalked back into the shadows, for it was time to take back the rest of his power.

The spirit stepped into his lair for the first time since his defeat, prepared for any unruly nightmare that wanted to jump him.

He stepped slowly into his lair, cautious but remaining unafraid. No fear was permitted to linger in his body, for if the creatures sensed it, they'd know his front of power was a ruse. Pitch had grown stronger since his defeat, but was still nowhere near his previous levels, even before he started his war on the Guardians. If he could make the nightmare think he had enough power to control them, he could quickly use them to regain enough power to truly have control.

Pitch frowned, something was off. He took to his shadows, traveling to the deeper center of his lair. Stepping out into the open he looked at his globe, filled with little lights again, shining reminders of his defeat. He shook his head and looked away, noticing the splashes of dark sand that littered the ground.

"_Odd…"_ Pitch bent down and slowly slid his hand across the sand, examining it before making an unnerving discovery. "_It has been stripped of power….of my power…" _He flitted around his lair in his shadow form, only finding more and more of the powerless sand. Fear started to creep into his heart and make it race. Someone had come in and destroyed his nightmares, taking his power from their remains.

Pitch leaned against a stone wall as his is mind raced. Was this the Guardians doing? A way of making sure he didn't gain power as fast as he hoped? They had seemed busy dealing with Cupid and their returned believers the past few days, but he wouldn't put something like this past them.

_"But this lingering presence…..it feels different…it feels like nothing….but the nothing is something. Like I'm acutely aware of the emptiness around me right now."_

His golden eyes snapped open to meet malicious violet ones. A large hand enveloping his throat before he could retreat into his shadows.

"Finally, the former king."

Cupid looked down into the hole below the rotting bedframe, nudging a pebble into it with her boot.

When she had woken up from the impromptu nap that Sandy had given her, the small spirit had told her about one of the entrances to the Nightmare Kings domain. He believed that she could help him, help heal millennia's of solitude and hurt. It was a lot of pressure to put on one spirit, especially one that hadn't even been around for a hundred years yet.

She took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to literally, jump into the dark pit that was fears domain.

"Well well well. Isn't this a surprise…" a dark voice whispered in her ear, but no body belonged to the voice when she turned to face it.

It started to slowly circle her, "the spirit of love, I thought you'd be older…but your body is a pleasant surprise for me nonetheless. Beauty over brains I suppose. Considering you have taken the courtesy of delivering yourself to my doorstep nonetheless."

"Your doorstep?" Cupid asked nervously.

"Mine."

Dark smoke surrounded her, stealing her air and making her world fade to black.

**(I do not own Rise of the Guardians of any of its characters)**


	5. Chapter 5

Cupid was slowly coming to, shifting her body and becoming acutely aware of the pain in her head. Felt like she was hit with a damn brick, and had a big knot to match.

"ugh….the fuck happened….?" She groaned and rubbed her head, sitting up and noticing the metal bars surrounding her. She was in a cage.

Her panic made her jolt into a standing position, turning out to be a bad idea as the cage was a hanging one. Falling with a girlish shriek of surprise the spirit fell hard onto her hip, causing a loud clang to echo throughout the area. Normally she would have used her wings to stop her fall, but to her surprise they were chained up. Great.

"Dammit!" Cupid hissed before righting herself and sitting back against the bars, groaning at the radiating pain. "_Just where the hell am i…"_

"That little scream of yours was absolutely breathtaking love~"

Cupid shrieked again as she jumped away from the breath against her ear, making the cage swing violently.

"Wow so clumsy….I expected so much more of a challenge from a spirit like you. Love is about as annoying to snuff out as hopes and dreams are."

Cupid's eyes were shut from the pain of her forcefully stiff wings hitting the bars of the cage. She didn't know the voice that was talking to her, but she recognized it as the person who jumped her earlier.

"But they shall fall just as you will."

Her lavender eyes opened and she finally got a good look at the man behind the voice. The man before her had white skin, not pure but off white, like snow that has been left out on the side walk for a while. He wore deep purple vest with a grey undershirt and dark pants that ended tucked into thick army boots. With what he was wearing she couldn't tell if he should be hosting a ball or commanding a military.

A shiver traveled down her spine when she met his sinister gaze, she didn't think she would forget about those eyes for a long time. Dark violet irises were surrounded by a dull red sclera, as if his greasy grey hair didn't make him look creepy enough already.

"Stricken speechless by my handsome face hmm? I have that effect on people."

"_Stricken speechless by disgust maybe…" _Cupid didn't let her eyes leave the man, watching him very carefully. "Listen to me weirdo….tell me where I am and who you are."

"Well, I suppose I _should_ tell you the name of your future master. I am Neo. And we, my love, are in my new domain. The Nightmare King may be a pathetic little weakling, but he at least has good taste in décor. It was just so easy to take from him."

"ooooh, so this is Pitch's lair? Kinda creepy but fitting I gu-"

Neo's hand shot through the bar and gripped her throat once more. He yanked her closer to snarl in her face "This is MY lair! MINE! Not that weak little disgrace for an embodiment of darkness! Hah! when I barged in here he couldn't even put up a fight against me! I have taken out fear and I will soon destroy love as well, and then I'll drain the rest of the emotion out of the world. These idiot humans won't have the privilege of feeling anything!"

He threw her back against the other side of the cage, "no one but you two know I exist, and I will keep it that way until I have enough power to be unstoppable." The being snickered before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Cupid sat up for a second time, annoyed at the amount of bruises she was collecting in such a short amount of time, but even more annoyed at this new character and how perverted he was towards her.

"_But he said two…." _Cupid looked around her, seeing more cages hanging around her, and a dark figure contained in one of them. It was Pitch, and she could feel her heart break for him.

The spirit was leaned back against the bars of his cage with his knees to his chest, arms draped across them and his chin resting between them. He looked so sullen, eyes half open, just staring down at the floor of his cage. Poor thing, he looked like a caged cat in a shelter. Stuck there for most of his life, and just when he got out, he was picked back up and shoved in another cage. The worst part of it was, it seemed he had realized he probably wouldn't get out again.

Thankfully he didn't look hurt too bad, only a little roughed up, like a quick one-sided fight. She couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing though.

Cupid scooted to the side of the cage closest to him, her hand gently gripping one of the bars, "Pitch? Are you okay?" her voice staying gentle and soft as she spoke to him.

He didn't bother to so much as glance in her direction.

"C'mon Pitch…..say something…"

He glared at the empty space in front of him, faint lines forming in his forehead and nose as he scowled.

"I know you can speak, you threatened me plenty during our last encounter."

"Then you should recall that I advised you to not take me lightly girl. So cease addressing me so casually" He glared more, but still didn't look at her.

"And _you _should recall that I told you my name. It's Cupid."

Pitch scoffed, "apologies that I refrain from using a name that leaves such a bad taste in my mouth."

Cupid straightened, "Just what the heck did I ever do to you man!? It's not my first choice either but it's what I was given when I started this miserable existence. Sorry we don't all get to hide in the darkness."

He snapped his head towards her, "would you be quiet and just leave me be?! It's bad enough that I had to be locked up in here! But now I have to be locked in here with an annoying little spirit like you! Just leave me alone." Pitch turned away from her, looking down into the darkness below them. He wished he could disappear into it and never come back.

Maybe he knew now how Jack felt in Antarctica, shoving nosey people away when you were hurting inside and wanted no one to see how low you had fallen.

An hour of Cupid picking and kicking at the various cage corners passed until she tried to talk to Pitch again, "so if this is your lair, are there any weak spots in these cages? I can't find any but you're also probably the expert."

He didn't respond.

"That's a no I guess." She sighed before kicking at the bars some more, mad her powers didn't work in these probably magic cages.

Another hour passed.

Cupid let her forehead softly bang into the bars, "I'm am going to go crazy sitting next to someone that refuses to talk to me."

"Probably too late for that" Pitch grumbled

Cupid gasped and smiled a big goofy smile at him, causing him to glance her direction then quickly look away in irritation. She grinned a bit, her antics doing nothing productive but was at least providing her with some fleeting amusement.

Yet another hour of silence had left Cupid leaned back against the cage, staring off into space.

"Is it fun being a Halloween spirit?"

Pitch looked over at her, confusion written all over his face, "What? What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"Halloween, that's your holiday right? Cause Sandy said you're the spirit of fear, so I just assumed that was your holiday because of all the scaring going on. You really look awesome. The black cloak, the grey skin, and your spiky slicked back hair looks like it could cut someone."

"_Not to mention those beautiful golden flaked eyes…" _but Cupid left that little tidbit to herself.

"So you took one look at my skin and the attire I chose to wear, and decided that I am a slave to some ridiculous human holiday. How shallow" he crossed his arms and returned to glaring at empty space.

"No, no that is not what I meant. I just thought you would've capitalized on that human holiday."

"Great insult, feathers."

Cupid looked at him sadly, "I'm trying here…"

"Then take the blatant hint and quit."

"But…"

"You're wasting your time little cherub~" Neo called from below as he sauntered back into the lair. "He's a worthless shell of what he once was. I remember hearing about the powerful Nightmare King and the power he wielded. Imagine my disappointment at discovering how wrong those stories were."

Cupid sat up to look at the man below, "oh yeah. Super easy to swoop in and take credit for someone else's victory. He was already beaten by the Guardians when you came into the picture. He was probably only at like 10% power of what he normally is. So congrats on being a spineless, weak little coward."

Pitch gave her a small glance, "_that bold nature of hers is going to get her killed…"_

Smoke wrapped around her neck and started to tighten, Cupid clawing at the untouchable vapor as it chocked her out.

"I will break you my love, of that you can be sure." Neo's laughed echoed through the cavern as her body slumped onto the floor of the cage.

Cupid coughed a bit as she started to come back into consciousness, the stale air of the cavern having left a bad taste in her mouth. What she wouldn't do for some damn water. She didn't need it technically. She technically didn't need to eat either but that never stopped her from chowing down on various delicacies throughout the world.

She sat up and rubbed the bump from yesterday, most of it was gone, as were her other bruises. Perks of being an immortal spirit.

"You're going to get yourself killed. Know your place and stay quiet."

Cupid glared at him, "Sitting in a cage waiting for some psycho to do what he pleases with me is not my place! And it's not yours either! Why have you already given up on escaping from him? Don't you want your freedom back?"

Pitch scoffed, "what freedom. I have no power. I have nothing waiting for me out there. When the Guardians realize that you are missing they will barge in and rescue you, and upon seeing me they will either leave me in this cage or seal me away in some other fashion. There's no point in fighting anymore."

"Do you really think I would just leave you behind?" she held onto the bars as she looked at him, "Pitch I know you don't really know me, but I'm not someone who turns their back on someone in need."

He rolled his eyes, "all this fakeness, don't you ever get tired of it? I saw you with the Sandman and the rabbit. You're with the guardians too much to not want me gone."

"That makes no sense…I can be friends with some Guardians without hating your guts Pitch. I'm not being fake. I don't like lying, and I'm usually too brutally honest for my own good, but I still consider it better than lying."

Pitch regarded her with an annoyed expression before looking away from her.

"Ask me anything. I won't lie."

He glanced back at her, letting a moment pass before turning to fully regard her. Pitch draped a hand over his knee, cornering her with a steely gaze. This caused Cupid to shift nervously and blush at the golden eyes boring into her, which he noticed of course.

"_Usually a sign of a guilty conscience" _he glared at her slightly.

Cupid shrunk a bit under the glare, "yer freakin me out here…just ask your question…."

"Alright…Why have you involved yourself in my affairs? One day we have never met, and the next, I see you almost every day in a week."

Cupid frowned slightly, "oh...I suppose I have, but if I have overstepped any personal boundaries with you I do deeply apologize. It was not my intention. But…you also sought me out too, so don't single me out here." She waited a moment to choose her next words, "well, to be blunt, I find you very intriguing. You're pretty scary, but I don't find you to be cruel. Looking at your actions from all angles, they can be considered justified, but maybe pushed too far or pushed in the wrong direction." She pushed away some of her pale blonde hair and tucked it away behind her ear, wanting to say something but stopping.

"Do not hide anything from me fairy."

She glared at him, a light blush tinting her cheeks, "Fine, but I am not a fairy, don't call me that again." She paused, "I was going to say, that me involving myself in your affairs, is my way of trying to become friends with you."

Pitch watched her, studying her for a moment before turning his back to her once more, "I do not need friends, nor do I want any."

Cupid smiled softly at him, "_who's the one lying now huh?" _She sat back against her cage and closed her eyes,_ "Pitch Black….the Nightmare King….just hang on a little longer. I'll save you yet."_


End file.
